A Fall of Theatre 2014 in Victoria BC. Listings for shows September – December 2014.
It’s time to bring back the ever popular “seasonal” posts about theatre in our wonderful capital city. For a population of 375,000, the Capital Regional District definitely punches above its weight.
I originally started the seasonal posts in 2011 because I had a difficult time myself keeping up with the many events, and figured the general population was even more perplexed, given the many options offered by local theatrical companies. Since 2011 the number of emerging and young companies has grown too.
The Victoria Fringe Festival has completed a most successful 28th season, with record audiences. Local improviser, and founder of Paper Street Theatre Company, Dave Morris, was awarded Pick of the Fringe as Favourite Male Performer, and local dance troupe Broken Rhythms won for Favourite Dance/Physical Theatre.
September starts off in style with long time local Fringe favourites Peter ‘n Chris and The Kinda Ok Corral, and is followed by a repeat of An Improvised Quentin Tarantino by Paper Street Theatre (winner of last year’s Favourite Show at the Victoria Fringe). Look for complete seasons by Broad Theatrics and Paper Street, as well as THREE adaptations of Alice in Wonderland, a staging of Rocky Horror Show (RKO Productions) and the Addams Family (Kaleidoscope Theatre). Janet Munsil’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is the season opener for Langham Court Theatre, Steel Magnolias opens St Luke’s, Baby With Bathwater (by Christopher Durang) is the fall Theatre Inconnu show, and the Spotlight on Alumni at UVic is The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
The Canadian College of Performing Arts 3rd year students, Company C, present Spring Awakening in collaboration with the Belfry Theatre, The Prison Collective and William Head on Stage have devised a piece Time Waits for No One: A Prison Play based on Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Thea Gill headlines Gaslight at Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, Atomic Vaudeville’s renowned Hallowe’en Cabaret returns at the end of October.
During the Pacific Northwest Puppetry Festival, there will be performances of The Umbrella and Caws and Effect. Naomi Simpson presents the works of Dr Stanley K Freiberg in an evening of readings entitled The Raptures of Distress.
Look for recurring events on Sundays at the Victoria Event Centre:
Derwin Blanshard’s Extremely Classy Sunday Evening Programme returns for a 3rd season on Sunday November 23rd, and continues every 4th Sunday.
Kirsten Van Ritzen launches a comedy evening with her alter-ego Louise, entitled Geez Louise! Expect the unexpected—comedy, puppets, improv and more. Starting Sunday September 28th, with a second episode Sunday October 26th. Regularly scheduled on any month with a FIFTH Sunday. Third episode November 30th.
This list will keep evolving and will be updated as I receive further information. Check back often. If you have a show planned, and it is not listed here—please let me know.
The Rez Sisters at the Belfry Theatre (September 16-October 19)
September
Peter ‘n Chris and the Kinda Ok Corral, one night only September 5th at the Metro Studio. Tickets through Ticket Rocket.
Canadian Comedy Award Winning Sketch Troupe Peter n’ Chris, return to home turf for ONE NIGHT ONLY with what’s been called their best show yet! This time it’s more ‘western’ than ever!
Come see this 3 time Canadian Comedy Award nominated Sketch group, 2 time JUST FOR LAUGHS – Best Comedy Winners (Montreal Fringe), and 2 time TORONTO SKETCHFEST ‘Audience Choice Winners.’
An Improvised Quentin Tarantino by Paper Street Theatre, September 6th at the Metro Studio. A fundraiser for Intrepid Theatre. Tickets through Ticket Rocket.
Sharpen your samurai sword for this fully improvised play in the style of Pulp Fiction’s Quentin Tarantino. Last year’s Pick of the Fringe is packed with clever dialogue, grindhouse music and just enough violence to pay homage to this Reservoir Dog of a filmmaker.
Francine and Frankie B Make Art, September 6th by Waddle Waddle Productions. A puppet show for children and adults. My interview with Randi Edmundson HERE. Tickets at the door (Intrepid Theatre Club).
My Rabbi September 15-28. Created by Sum Theatre and presented by Puente Theatre.
Written and performed by Joel Bernbaum and Kayvon Kelly, My Rabbi is a comedic (and thought-provoking) drama about two Canadian best friends (one Jewish, one Muslim) who go on spiritual journeys that change their lives forever. belfry.bc.ca
The Rez Sisters by Thomson Highway starring Tantoo Cardinal September 16-October 19 at the Belfry Theatre.
It’s a “rich, magical journey of redemption”. Seven women -all related – leave their reservation on a road trip to Toronto and the “Biggest Bingo in the World”, each hoping to win the jackpot and change their lives forever. Belfry.bc.ca
Puppets for Peace September 19-21 is part of the Pacific Northwest Puppet festival hosted by the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria (CACGV) with a riot of puppet shows, demonstrations, and activities including the Puppets for Peace Parade September 21st. www.puppetsforpeace.weebly.com
CCPA Day – the Canadian College of Performing Arts launches their “Smoking 17th season” on Saturday September 20th with an AGM, Open House and (wild) Company C Fundraiser. More info: ccpacanada.com
Pennies from Heaven, Oak Bay Beach Hotel, David Foster Foundation Theatre
September 26 – November 21 (Fri/Sat only).
Join Tom Watson, founder of the TimeBenders’ show, and rising star Kristina Helene for a loving tribute to a few of the greatest stars from the Golden Age of Radio!
Performed with a live “mini-orchestra”, it’s an intimate, fun show with lots of laughs and memorable moments.
The Raptures of Distress: Songs, Poems and Stories by international Who’s Who author Stanley K. Freiberg, Saturday September 27th 7pm, Sunday September 28th 2 pm and 7 pm Wood Hall 907 Pandora Avenue. Tickets at the door. $7 (suggested donation). All proceeds to the Inter Cultural Association.
Read by notable teachers, writers and actors and directed by Naomi Simpson (Small Room at the Top of the Stairs).
Geez Louise September 28, Victoria Event Centre, Broad Street Theatrics.
Party gal Louise (played by Kirsten Van Ritzen) hosts her own character comedy/variety show – and will return on the 5th Sunday of the month in 2015! She has made many appearances in Victoria (FUNNY WOMEN FESTIVAL, PHILLIPS COMEDY NIGHT, COMEDY FUN-RAISER) since hosting her own hit alternative comedy show in Toronto at The Oasis.
October
Baby with Bathwater , October 2-18, Theatre Inconnu
Parenthood nightmares as seen from the inimitable pen of the satirical and comedic Christopher Durang. Ride this comedic roller-coaster that explores the ties that bind. TicketRocket.org
Pride and Prejudice, October 2-18. Langham Court Theatre present’s Janet Munsil’s adaptation of the Jane Austen classic which was awarded Play of the Year 2012 in Calgary. A period treasure suitable for all ages.
Kid Psychic October 4, a YOU Show at the Intrepid Theatre Club. Patronus Theatre Company – Monica Joan Ogden
What’s the most memorable thing you learned in school? Is it mathematical algorithms– or your first crush? Join third grader Sam, the Kid Psychic, and her best friend Shyface, on their quest to start a conversation about what school is teaching them about the “real world.” An honest look into how two kids grow up in our education system.
Steel Magnolias, onstage with St Luke’s Players, October 8-19. StLukesPlayers.org
You’ve seen the movie, now experience the heart-warming tale of Southern women.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe October 9 –18. A Phoenix Theatre Spotlight on Alumni. Kaitlin Williams (BFA ’09) and Mack Gordon (BFA ’08) have adapted the beloved CS Lewis classic. finearts.uvic.ca/theatre/phoenix/tickets/
Time Waits for No One: A Prison Play. October 10-November 7. Inspired by the novel The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom For over 30 years, William Head on Stage (WHoS), with the help of members of the local theatre community (this year—the Prison Arts Collective) has workshopped and produced plays for the general public. Must have ticket in advance. 19+ only. Ticketrocket.org
Spring Awakening, by Duncan Sheil and Steven Sater, October 21-November 1. Canadian College of Performing Arts Company C in collaboration with the Belfry Theatre. Directed by Michael Shamata. ccpacanada.com
Frankenstein, October 17-November 1, Emily Carr House. Tickets available by phone at : (250) 383 5843 or email at ecarr@shaw.ca.
Space is limited, reservations recommended.
“A dark retelling of the classic tale that challenges our ideas of life and death and what makes us human. Is it our desire for love and belonging, or our capacity for cruelty?Set in historic Emily Carr House in downtown Victoria, Frankenstein is opulently gothic; guaranteed to make you jump, shudder and chill your bones.”
The Extemporium: An Improvised Franz Kafka at Intrepid Theatre Club, October 22-25. Paper Street Theatre begins their 4th season and invites you to enter a strange world so utterly mundane that it becomes absurd. This Halloween Paper Street Theatre brings you this disturbing set of improvised tales inspired by the works of author Franz Kafka.TicketRocket.org
Gaslight October 23–November 2. This Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre season opener, an elegantly structured morality tale, stars Thea Gill (A Streetcar Named Desire) and is directed by Janet Wright (Brighton Beach Memoirs). Bluebridgetheatre.ca
Set in a fog-bound London in 1880, Bella Manningham is slowly losing her mind. Or is she being driven into madness by her rakishly handsome and ambitious husband Jack?
An elegantly structured morality tale that shows the consequences of what happens when a woman chooses the wrong man; Gaslight has thrilled audiences around the world since its theatrical premiere in 1938 and the 1944 George Cukor film of the same name starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer.
Rocky Horror Show October 23–November 1, is the first production for brand new company RKO (Random Knockout Productions)—a collective of some of Victoria’s finest young artists. Britt Small directs. ticketrocket.org
Ladies and Gentlemen, come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab
Atomic Vaudeville’s Hallowe’en Cabaret October 24-November 1
Legendary cabaret of creepy weirdness. Be sure to wear clothes that can be washed if you sit close to the front.
The Haunting, presented by Reader’s Theatre, directed by Wendy Merk. (Date and location TBA)
Geez Louise October 26, Victoria Event Centre, Broad Street Theatrics.
Party gal Louise (played by Kirsten Van Ritzen) hosts her own character comedy/variety show – and will return on the 5th Sunday of the month in 2015! She has made many appearances in Victoria (FUNNY WOMEN FESTIVAL, PHILLIPS COMEDY NIGHT, COMEDY FUN-RAISER) since hosting her own hit alternative comedy show in Toronto at The Oasis.
The Addams Family October 31-November 1, a fundraiser for Kaleidoscope Theatre.
They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky. Everyone’s favourite family comes to spooky and spectacular life in an all new story, based on the bizarre and beloved characters created by Charles Addams.
Wednesday Addams has fallen for the wrong type—he’s sweet, smart and from a respectable “warm-blooded” family. Nothing changes a family more—more hilariously, more musically or more enjoyably—than a daughter in love. The magnificently macabre Addams are put to the test, hurling them into a night that will change their lives forever.
November
The “F” Words November 1 better than tteeVvy productions – Yvette Dudley-Neumann
An Intpreid Theatre YOU Show.
Fierce, funny and fearless, follow Frannie and friends on this fun-filled frolic. Experience her unrelenting compulsion to explore The “F” Words and what it means to be Fat, Forty, Forgotten and F**cked. The “F” Words features the ferocious talents of Yvette Dudley-Neuman in a fast paced, multi-media solo show. Talkback immediately following performance
A Midsummer Night’s Dream November 6 – 22, 2014 UVic Phoenix
By William Shakespeare Directed by Fran Gebhard
Love and illusion collide in Shakespeare’s most poetic and magical play.
Fear No Opera November 9th concert at UVic Philip T Young. Details to be announced.
Venus in Fur by David Ives November 11-December 14. Belfry Theatre.
Before Fifty Shades of Grey, there was Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s classic erotic novel, Venus in Furs. In this Tony Award nominated adaptation, the tables are turned as a young actress tangles with a director increasingly intrigued by her. Funny and stimulating, this play weaves sex and power into an exhilarating game of cat and mouse.
High Tea by James and Jamesy November 13-16, 2014. Metro Theatre. Tickets via Ticket Rocket.
Multi-award-winning Fringe performers James and Jamesy return with their particular brand of absurdist physical theatre.
Tea floods the world. James & Jamesy must cling to their friendship and imagination to stay afloat. Award-winning British comedy duo James & Jamesy tackle complex questions of reality, and in the process sweep the audience into an adventure that highlights the value of imagination and the importance of playing together.
The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs November 20-December 6, Langham Court Theatre. A Drama by Carole Fréchette, Translated by John Murrell, Directed by Naomi Simpson.
This is the first time that Langham Court Theatre presents a one act play.
Grace’s new husband has only one rule; do not go into the small room at the top of the stairs. She is irresistibly drawn to the mystery behind the door and his secret life in this open-ended parable. (mature themes and suggestions of violence)
Boyle Street Blues November 22, Intrepid Theatre Club. Broad Street Theatrics presents a staged reading.
Written by Ian Ferguson, this hard-hitting drama revolves around the lives of a dozen inner city thieves and hustlers, cops and social workers. In Edmonton, it was nominated for Sterling Awards for Best New Play and Best New Production.
It’s Christmas! November 28-December 26 (Fri/Sat nights) Oak Bay Beach Hotel David Foster Foundation Theatre.
Read my review of last year’s production here.
This sparkling holiday revue returns to the David Foster Theatre featuring songs and stories of the holiday season. Produced and Directed by Matthew Howe and featuring a cast of exceptional performers, this special evening of holiday entertainment is sure to bring a festive heart to all…..even The Grinch!
Alice vs Wonderland by Brendan Shea November 27–December 14th Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre.
Lewis Carroll meets Lady Gaga in this psychedelic update of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Angst-ridden adolescent Alice unwittingly trades places with Mary Ann, the Wonderland version of herself. Now Alice must travel through a fantastical teenage dreamscape, challenged by Carroll’s canonical characters every step of the way. An entrancingly surreal portrait of a teenage identity crisis.
“High octane physical theatre” – Arts Boston
Geez Louise November 30, Victoria Event Centre, Broad Street Theatrics.
Party gal Louise (played by Kirsten Van Ritzen) hosts her own character comedy/variety show – and will return on the 5th Sunday of the month in 2015! She has made many appearances in Victoria (FUNNY WOMEN FESTIVAL, PHILLIPS COMEDY NIGHT, COMEDY FUN-RAISER) since hosting her own hit alternative comedy show in Toronto at The Oasis.
December
chorus|line|cabaret 12, Gotta Getta Gimmick, December 1 at the Belfry Theatre Studio A. Get tickets early—the cabarets always sell out.
Sense and Sensibility December 3–7, presented by CCPA’s Company C.
The Jane Austen classic has been adapted and will be directed by Glynis Leyshon. Staged in a site-specific adaptation in the chapel and on the grounds of St Ann’s Academy.
Alice a musical by Tom Waits December 4-20, Theatre Inconnu.
Tom Waits is one of the most influential singer/composers of the late 20th century, and continues to inspire and challenge listeners to the present day. Created by Waits in collaboration with Kathleen Brennan, and playwright and renowned translator Paul Schmidt, this musical, inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is not often produced, and yet the music and script are both exquisitely crafted. The jumping off point for the story is the relationship between Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) and his supposed muse, Alice Liddell. A number of the more familiar episodes from the Alice stories are reworked and many of Lewis’ more imaginative characters are presented. Theatre Inconnu once more joins forces more with Victoria’s own musical renegades, The Party on High Street; who so dynamically contributed to Love Kills, the Musical (2010).
Unfortunately the December YOU Show has been postponed.
A Christmas Carol. One-man version by Jason Stevens. At Craigdarroch Castle. December 4-23
Stevens performs the one-man version used by Charles Dickens himself. The Castle is beautifully decorated for the season. Not advised for young children. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance.
T Cratchit Inc. Saturday, December 6 Written by Janet Munsil. Part of Intrepid Theatre’s YOU Show series.
What legacy did Tiny Tim Cratchit inherit from his Second Father, the reformed Ebenezer Scrooge? This continuation of Dickens’ classic Christmas story re-discovers the lad in the new world, a tycoon at the heart of a nation-building empire of steel and steam. A first reading of a new play by the author of Influence, Circus Fire, and That Elusive Spark.
A One Night Stand with Mike Delamont. Friday December 5th, Saturday, December 6 at the Victoria Event Centre.
Due to popular demand, this “one night stand” has been extended to two.
Mike Delamont returns to his roots, bringing his most popular characters back for an all new night of hilarity at the Victoria Event Centre.
The TD Festival of New Works, December 10-13. Original works and direction by the Year II students of the Canadian College of Performing Arts. “A provocative and engaging showcase.” CCPA Performance Hall.
One Man Star Wars and One Man Lord of the Rings by Charlie Ross December 10/11 at the Metro Studio
Dust off your lightsabers and find your inner Frodo: worldwide smash hit Charles Ross is back by popular demand with a 2-day run of his famous one-man shows, One-Man Lord of the Rings and One-Man Star Wars Trilogy at the Metro Studio, in support of Intrepid Theatre. Inspired by the popular films, Ross’ brilliant one-man shows have sold out theatres around the world, from Off-Broadway in New York to the Sydney Opera House.
TWO SHOWS ONLY! Get your tickets in advance – Ross hasn’t been in Victoria in 2 years, these will sell out!
The Secret Garden, December 6 – 14, Kaleidoscope at Uptown
A dark spell of sorrow and mystery hovers in the air as the young orphan, Mary Lennox, arrives at Misselthwaite Manor. Mary comes upon a secret walled garden, locked up and shut away from the outside world for over ten years. Inside the manor, another secret lurks. At night, strange, haunting sounds echo down the empty corridors – is it the wind howling or a child crying? A powerful story of love, life, and determination.
Homo for the Holidays: The Sequel December 13, Intrepid Theatre Club
Christmas is about to get gayer (AGAIN!) with Homo for the Holidays: The Sequel, a cabaret from the fine folks at Intrepid Theatre that celebrates the talents of the local theatre and gay communities. The intimate setting of the Intrepid Theatre Club once again plays host to this festive and spirited cabaret performance with songs, monologues, stand-up and more. We had such a great time last year, that we are doing it all again!
Miracle on Paper Street: An Improvised Christmas Classic, December 17-20th, Intrepid Theatre Studio.
Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. This holiday season join Paper Street for a delightfully classic Christmas show inspired by beloved Hollywood classics.
Paper Street Theatre creates improvisation that feels like theatre. By studying great artists and theatrical styles then performing them with no script, the ensemble creates award-winning performances that have been enjoyed around the world.
A Christmas Carol, one-man version staged by Jason Stevens. December 19th one night only at Langham Court Theatre.
Stevens performs the one-man version used by Charles Dickens himself.
Snow White and the Magnificent Seven Dwarves, December 20-January 1. St Luke’s Players. This traditional Christmas panto is extremely popular and tickets sell out soon after going on sale in early November.
Atomic Vaudeville Winter Cabaret, December 29-31, Victoria Event Centre.
Finish off the year in style. Tickets for New Year’s Eve are highly prized. Book early.
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